2016-12-02 00:00:002016-12-02 00:00:00https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ca/resources/crowdsourcing/going-green-by-crowdsourcingCrowdsourcingEnglishRunning a physical office expands your company's environmental footprint, but crowdsourcing can provide you with an easy way to go green.https://d1bkf7psx818ah.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/08214730/Freelancer-Works-From-The-Comfort-Of-Her-Home-Office.jpgGoing Green by Crowdsourcing

Going Green by Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing allows you to tap into a global marketplace of talent rather than being limited to workers located in your immediate area. You only pay for the work you need done on a freelance basis, as opposed to hiring full-time workers who command salaries and benefits. Crowdsourcing also lets you get work done at lower costs, as the vast online marketplace for workers tends to be more efficient than the much thinner local market.

Moreover, crowdsourcing is a great way to go green and reduce the environmental footprint of your business. Crowdsourcing removes the need for workers to commute to your office and spew pollutants into the air from their automobiles. Since the cloud houses most your business documents, your need for paper is greatly reduced. Also, crowdsourcing decreases how much physical office space you need to run your business.

No Commutes

A typical office is responsible for a varying number of automobiles filling the highways as their drivers commute to and from work. Though cars have become more fuel-efficient in the 21st century, most still burn fossil fuels and, as a result, contribute to a host of environmental problems. For office workers who keep traditional business hours, the effect is even worse, as heavy traffic volume during these times keeps them on the road for longer durations.

Crowdsourcing eliminates environment-killing commutes, as freelancers working from their home offices replace traditional in-office employees. With technology such as QuickBooks apps and online accounting systems, all accessible through the cloud, you can provide your freelancers all the benefits of a physical office through their computers and internet connections.

Less Paper

The amount of paper consumed by a typical business 20 or 30 years ago – even by a small business – was staggering. A trip to the file room revealed stacks upon stacks of paper. Trees were felled at a rapid rate to keep the companies of yesteryear running.

Today, virtual storage has replaced a lot of these file rooms, and crowdsourcing allows for an even greater reduction in your business’s reliance on paper. Since most or all of your files are kept online, and most of your communication with freelance workers is done through email, texting and messaging apps, your business runs more efficiently and spares countless trees.

Reduced Physical Office Space

Keeping a large physical office expands your environmental footprint. It requires a lot of natural resources to build the office, and keeping the office running also takes a toll. Most offices, with their lighting, computers, servers, fax machines and other office technology, burn through electricity like crazy. Maintaining restroom facilities for an office full of workers means draining a lot of water.

If you delegate tasks to crowdsourced freelancers working remotely, you have less of a need for an office full of employees, as well as for the resources required to keep that office running.

References & Resources

Information may be abridged and therefore incomplete. This document/information does not constitute, and should not be considered a substitute for, legal or financial advice. Each financial situation is different, the advice provided is intended to be general. Please contact your financial or legal advisors for information specific to your situation.